Harriet Potter and Fresh Beginnings
by Silent Magi
Summary: Sometimes you just have to clear the board and start over from the beginning.
1. Chapter 1

I feel it is fitting that as this year ends, a new, fresh beginning if born from the ashes of the old. With my new job, I have been granted a bit more reliable downtime to work on stories. To that end, I am working on a daily challenge over on Tumblr, and two fanfics of my own for posting. This is one I've been yearning to get out for a while now, and I'm so glad that I get to share it with all of you. To all my old fans, I want to thank you for sticking with me during my prolonged silences. To my new fans, hope you enjoy the stay.

* * *

Emerald eyes closed as the final breath rattled out of his chest, Harry had done it. He had killed Voldemort, and all it had taken him was his childhood, his friends, even his very life. But everyone else was safe from Voldemort now. He wanted to be mad, that he had to sacrifice everything for people that didn't give two shits about him. He wanted to sob for all the ones he couldn't save. He wanted to see the future.

But as his body continued to shut itself down, he realized, he didn't have time for any of that. It was his turn to go beyond the veil.

As his broken spirit left this plane, heading towards that one of muted colors and blue saturation, a single robed figure reached out of the ether and took it by the hand, leading it to a secluded area. Laying the boy's shattered spiritual remains out on a slab of some grey stone or other, it began letting it gain the rest it was refused in life.

Looking the figure over, it pulled out a slip of parchment that it had been given for this occasion. "Orders from top of the chain kid… let's see what you have in store," it offered in a raspy whisper that spoke volumes of just how little it was used. "A hero most noble, a martyr so young, and yet… those on high decree that thy battle is not yet won…"

"Nay childe of man, though your rest is earned hundred fold, they charge your task incomplete. To battle you must return, but not a fight to die, but to learn what it is to truly live," the figure stated while a boney hand slipped into the cowl to rub its chin. After a moment, it reached out to trace a single finger along the lightning bolt shaped scar upon his charge's forehead. "Nay, one so young and pure need not die in such an ignoble manner as the puppet of one that knows less than they think."

"A curse and a boon both, this second chance be," the figure stated as it continued going down from the head, heading along the spectral form that had once been Harry Potter, the form rippling and changing in its wake. Where there had once before been the wiry muscles and haggard skin of a life born from fighting to survive, were now curves and a softness that belied the great hidden power within. The Boy-Who-Lived-To-Die was replaced in a single wave of the hand with a young girl, just on the cusp of womanhood. "Aye there lass, now this form is more in tune with the core of your magic, don't you believe?"

A dry, raspy chuckle escaped at its own joke as the spiritual form rested mute as the grave. Instead of waiting for a response that would not come, the figure lifted Harry's head, and began running its fingers through the black hair, smirking as red spread through it like wildfire, spilling out and lengthening with each stroke, once it came to her shoulders, the figure let the head settle onto its new pillow of hair of molten fire. "Ah, a little darker than your mother, but such a nice hue for a beautiful girl that will need every ounce of fire in her to stand against the cold machinations of those that would squelch her life before its begun," the figure whispered softly as its hands drifted down from the hair to the face, rubbing its long slender fingers over the face slowly to smooth out the lines of a face of a boy who had seen more than men twice his age, to the contrasting face of a woman that was at the same time hard as rock, but softened like a marble statue carved at the hands of a master to show the beauty of an ancient forgotten goddess.

The forefingers and middle fingers lighted upon the girl's slumbering eyelids, sliding them up to reveal the dulled emerald eyes one final time. The life that had once sparkled and shone in them had faded, leaving only hollow echoes of what they had once been. "Ah, but we cannot have all your father gone, now can we? The hazel he had would not suit you as you deserve, but perhaps something a bit more dramatic? I fear you shall keep his eyesight though," the voice offered in a weak joke as it paused while looking into the hauntingly empty eyes. After a second, the lids were lowered with nary a word more, before being reopened to reveal blue eyes.

These were not the icy blue of the sky over the Arctic in the middle of winter, a blue that would drive daggers of ice through the hearts of even the hardiest of folk. Nor were they the sky blue of an odd little seer that had been belittled by those that did not understand. No, they were simply the sapphire blue of a deep and inviting lake at midday during the hottest days of summer. Cooling and inviting, tender with hints of mischief in its depths. "Ah yes, the contrast does suit you so much the better young one…"

Lifting one hand away, the other traced the scar again, a sound of grating boulders escaping from the cowl as it leaned in to study the scar. "Such an offense upon a delicate flower should not be borne, nay and it shall not."

Trailing the finger down, the scar moved with it, over eyebrow and nose, past lips and cheek, curled around the chin and down the neck. At the base of the neck, nestled between the two ends of the collarbone chamber of what had once been a shard of a soul befouled by fell, cowardly magic. "Though that I could remove it, the scar would be gone to never mar your features again. Yet, there is hope young one; for a scar shall it shall not be, but a birthmark in its stead." A twist of the hand changed it from the bolt of lightning to a blushing red mark, a rounded bottom curving up along its sides to two gentle rosy hills, the valley of which meeting in the middle. "Ah, there we go, a mark that will be far easier to conceal than that uncouth and foul scar."

Standing back, the figure observed its work quietly, using a sleeve to brush away the remaining taint her former life left clinging to the slumbering form. But after its first pass, the figure took a surprised step back as a heart-shaped ruby emerged through the flesh of the chest and hovered in front of the robed form. "A love-based magic core…" it whispered reverently as it cradled the faintly glowing object between its hand, drawing it closer without actually daring to touch it. "Never in all of my days had a dared imagining seeing one before me, but what does it wish of me I wonder?"

The heart parted down the middle with a single line from crown to cockle, opening to reveal a tangled mass of jet black tendrils clogging every inch. "What fool would dare taint where even angels dare not tread?"

A moment's pause to steel against the repercussions that its work might bring, the robed figure plunged its hand into the taint and ripped it free, casting into the air where it vanished into the nothing it was born from. Inside the heart there was revealed a figure huddled in the corner, her beaten and battered form holding her wand towards where the darkness had once been. "A valiant little spirit: I can see you have fought so long unknown and alone. Such abandonment is not worthy of the sacrifice you have given. So allow me to be of assistance to you."

The finger reached into the cavity and swirled around the brave little figure, replacing the remains of what might have once been a dress with a gleaming suit of armor that shone with an inner light. "Armor of purest light, to prevent darkness overwhelming."

"And for such a heroine as you, a special boon to save the one you guard against darkness that would steal the heart of me, a spell to your wand," the figure offered with the hints of amusement in its voice as the young woman in the heart knelt and brushed unruly brown hair back before presenting the wand across her open palms. "A fan of the old forms such as you would appreciate this boon, the basis for the human Patronus is granted to you to drive back the darkness you face."

As a misty light from around the room coalesced around the wand's tip, the figure let out a laugh as the Guardian made a vow to do it proud. "You have done so and more, little one. I leave young Harriet Jasmine Potter to your care."

The salute was held until the heart sealed itself once more, and drifted back towards the body it had once resided inside. Once the core had returned to its resting place, color and life returned to the body that remained on the hard stone. "Final words of advice childe of a life lived twice. Remember that love will always find a way, I have opened the gates to a love once denied. Turn it not away."

The robe sleeves passed over the slumbering form twice more, each pass removing years from the girl, turning her from a teen on the verge of adulthood to a child, to a baby coming into toddlerhood. Leaning in, the figure gave the sleeping babe a gentle kiss on the forehead as it picked it up off the tablet.

Holding the baby in its arms, it looked up at the portal that had opened itself to the world. If it could cry, it might have done so at this moment. Raising the baby up out of its outstretched arms, it watched as she vanished from sight, reappearing on the other side of the portal in a crib one fateful night. Turning away from the viewing portal, it refused to watch as the events unfolded on the rails that even it could not alter. It refused to listen as the baby relived a night of horrors that it was subjecting the girl to, nor to the cries that would go unanswered for hours.

It was following orders from on high, but damn if it did not feel like it was being dragged through the deepest depths of Hell itself for this.


	2. Chapter 2

In a small bedroom, in a perfectly normal neighborhood, in the middle of a perfectly normal street, there was a small family that appeared perfectly normal to any who glanced their way without looking into things too closely. So of course, everyone in the neighborhood knew of the single mother working as a secretary for one of the local businesses to support her son and the niece from her dearly departed sister. They knew that she her husband had ran off to a new job far away from the family, and while there found a younger woman.

What they hadn't known, the rumor mill ground out on regular basis. The niece was born from her sister out of wedlock, to a man grifting off the system. The husband had tried to beat the girl one day, until the woman walked in and called the police on him. The son had just about began to sink to the levels of the father, but turned his life around to become a courteous and gentle young man.

What none of them knew was the real truth of the situation.

The woman was Petunia Evans, formerly Dursley. Her husband had never once lifted a hand against either child, though the threats he issued towards her sister's daughter had caused much strife in their marriage. The husband, one Vernon Dursley, had left after one such fight, taking every cent in their accounts. His current whereabouts are not material at this point, but there is no other woman on this planet that would find him acceptable. The son was Dudley Dursley, and while he wasn't anything like his father, it was the firm guiding hand of his mother that ensured he was becoming a gentleman, though at times his father's temper shone through.

The girl, often called Jasmine by her aunt and cousin, was Harriet Jasmine Potter, the sole survivor of a tragic night of horror that had claimed her parents. The two of them were happily married long before Harriet had even remotely been a twinkle in her father's eye. Her father had actually been fairly well off, but due to certain meddling conspirators, Harriet was only receiving a fraction of what she should be to provide for her childhood.

Finally, there were things that happened around Harriet that proved that she was anything but perfectly ordinary. One such thing had happened just the day before, when Harriet had gone with her aunt, cousin, and one of his friends to the zoo. She had gotten separated from her aunt around the serpent houses, and she was settling in to wait until she could find an employee or her aunt: just as she had been told in school, when a rather large man seemed to be getting far too close for her liking.

He had just gotten to her, and seemed ready to grab her, when the snake that had been on the other side of the glass slithered between them. Her eyes flickered over to where there had been a large pane of glass, which was completely missing now. The snake stared at the man harshly while a stain began darkening his pants, before turning to Harriet and speaking softly to her. "Thank you for freeing me. Go to the far entranccce. Look for the feedersss, they will help you," the snake hissed out as it curled around the man frozen with fear. Harriet hadn't needed anything more, as soon as the snake stopped looking at her, she was running away.

Her run was short lived, when she ran straight into her aunt's arms, tears streaming down her face. That had been the end of Dudley's birthday trip to the zoo, but Aunt Petunia had to sit and talk with the zoo people for a while about just being glad Harriet was safe. After that, they went out for pizza, but Harriet hadn't been hungry. She just wanted to go home to her room which was safe, and listen to her stuffed Snake the wise Sir Hiss.

That had been yesterday, and today Harriet was in the corner of her room, hugging her stuffed snake while making soft noises to it. It was these noises that let her aunt know something was bothering her about yesterday's events. Whenever Harriet got upset, or had an incident with weird things happening, she would retreat to her room and talk to Sir Hiss through a strange series of hissing and clicking noises. During a slight lull in the one-sided conversation, she rapped softly on the door.

"Jasmine? It's Aunt Petunia, can I come in?" the woman asked softly as she tried the door. A soft voice from inside answered an affirmative, just as she turned the knob. The door opened to the lit room, the bed was made up neatly, the floor and furniture spotless, and in one corner of the room opposite the door was a floating Sir Hiss, his metal helmet gleaming faintly. "Jasmine… can you let me see you please? I just want to talk."

"I didn't mean to do it," a quiet voice said from the other side of the serpentine knight, "I don't know what I did."

"I know you didn't, and I want to talk about it Jasmine, please," the woman stated as she settled in on the floor opposite Sir Hiss from the voice, watching the floating stuffed animal as it bobbed in the air. "Your mother had things like this happen to, remember her? She was a brilliant girl, much like how smart you are, but she could do things like that."

"R-really?" Harriet asked, her blue eyes coming into view filled with hope and admiration. Her mother had been like her? She could do things like she could. Does this mean that Aunt Petunia knew how to make it stop?

The eyes remained transfixed on her aunt, who didn't seem to react to only seeing floating eyes peering out of thin air. "Yes dear, do you want to talk about her a little? We can brush your hair out, maybe we can finally get it to settle down today."

The soft laughter that filled the room at that brought a relieved smile to the older woman's face as the girl slowly returned to view. "There's my darling Jasmine," she stated happily as she reached out to the young girl, who leaped forward to engulf herself in the warmth and tenderness of her aunt's hug. A soft hand stroking through her hair served to quell her tears and get her to relax. "What do you want to know about your mother?"

"How… was it because of her being able to do weird things that she was taken from us?" Jasmine asked as she settled into her aunt's lap, one of her favorite brushes appearing next to them with a soft popping noise. Aunt Petunia took a calming breath before picking it up, and starting to brush the fiery red hair before her, working to smooth out the tangles and smooth it down.

"Why would you ask that, dear?"

"Because you never talk about that, and… because I know people do not like when others can do things they can't," Harriet answered, her eyes focused on the floor before them as she took a sour expression. There was one person in all the world she ever wore that expression for, and it made her wonder just what it was that Vernon had said and done to Harriet when she wasn't around every time.

The old pain of losing her sister still lingered, but Petunia swallowed against that pain and focused on the girl before her. "Lily was a brilliant woman who could do things that I couldn't, and I admit I was jealous when we were children. It was that same jealousy that drove me from being around before you came to live with me… and not being with them the night your parents died. They loved you so much Harriet," Petunia stated, catching the girl by surprise, as she was always Jasmine to her. Harriet was a surprise when she first went to school, and even to this day her aunt seldom used it outside of official paperwork and the like. "They died fighting to save you, never forget that. Your father and mother both loved you more than their own lives, and your mother gave you a special protection with her sacrifice. But it was not because she did those weird things, both your father and mother could do magic, and so did the people that came to hurt you and them."

Harriet listened raptly as her aunt told her about magic, what her mother could do, and what she knew of the day they had been taken from her. Tears were rolling down both cheeks at the end, and Harriet wondered silently about ways to protect her aunt and cousin from these dangerous people who used something as amazing as magic to hurt others. The brush was set on her lap as her aunt's arms wrapped around her from behind. "So you see dear? I was jealous your mother got to experience this whole magical new world, and I was being left behind. But I think… I think that somehow it was for the best. If I hadn't been left behind, I don't know where you might have gone to."

"I won't leave you behind Aunt Petunia," Harriet promised as she sniffled, her arms reaching up to stroke the arms encircling her. "I don't think my mom would have wanted to leave you either, but I will find a way to bring you along."

Petunia let out a soft laugh, one that seemed sad and humorless while filled with bitterness. "No, she didn't want to leave me behind. But sometimes in life we do things we don't want to, so I only ask you to do the best you can to make sure you come back to me."

The response Harriet was about to give, was cut off by the voice of Dudley calling from downstairs. "Mom?! Harriet got a letter in the mail," he called as he made his way up the stairs. In his hand was a strange piece of faded parchment with enough sparkles and glitter to make one question the sanity of whoever sent it.

However, there was a mix of reactions at the sight of it. Dudley seemed mildly amused at it. Harriet was confused. But Petunia?

Petunia looked like it was a time-bomb with 00:00:01 on the timer.


	3. Chapter 3

"Aunt Petunia?" Harriet asked quietly as she turned the letter she'd been sent over in her hands at the kitchen table. The elder had given Dudley some money and sent him to the arcade while the girls had a private meeting. The offending piece of mail hadn't been opened, and Harriet had waited for her Aunt as she made a cup of tea for the both of them, but as the older woman continued to stare at it in silence, the girl's nerves had grown more ragged and frayed. She could feel herself struggling to stay visible, to not hide away from the letter and what it was doing to her aunt.

Petunia blinked her pale brown eyes as tiny trails of tears rolled down her cheeks. "I- Sorry Jasmine, I was just thinking about something," she offered while scooping up her tea cup. "Open it dear."

Harriet paused at that, before doing as she was instructed, her hands trembling slightly with nerves as she worked loose the old-fashioned wax seal and unfolded the letter to read it properly. "Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry?" she asked in confusion as she continued reading through the letter. "This Headmaster has a lot of titles… are they supposed to mean something?"

"It means he is a very powerful man in their circles," Petunia explained, giving her niece an indulgent smile, as she saw her sister's curiosity shining forth in the young girl's eyes. As it shifted to confusion, she tilted her head and looked over to read what was confusing her niece. "That's very different than what your mother got… I almost expected them to send someone to explain things to you."

"I don't remember applying or even the name of this place before today," Harriet pointed out in confusion as she pointed to the name that no child would likely forget. But some part of her told her this was the right path to travel, that she should accept the offer. Oddly enough, she could have sworn it was Sir Hiss's voice, but she had left him up in her room. "Do I have to find an owl in the woods or something?"

"No, your mother taught me a trick to keep in contact with her during her first year at Hogwarts… I will see if I can get one to come for you," Petunia offered quietly as she reached out and ran her fingers through the red hair of her niece. "Have you decided?"

"I- I want more information, I mean I know that I can do things that others can't, bu-"

"But magic seems a bit far-fetched of an explanation?" Petunia finished for Harriet, her eyes shining with unshed tears again. "Your mother said almost exactly the same thing when she was visited by a Special Messenger from the school. If you want, I imagine you could ask to be added to the list of students for such a visit."

As Harriet pulled out the second sheet and began reading through the list of things she had to bring, her face began draining of color. "Dragon hide? Cauldrons? Wand? Where would I get all this, and why would I want a broomstick?"

"There is a shopping district, I believe we will have to get a guide since I never went there," she explained while patting Harriet's hair softly trying to smooth a curl that sprung up at despite her best efforts to braid it down. "We could do it this weekend; Dudley has that sleepover with his friend Piers to make up for the zoo trip."

"Do you think they would be able to make time for me? I don't want to be a burden." Harriet was still turning the list over in her hands, her eyes focused on it instead of looking anywhere else where her worried eyes might show how scared she was of what was to come. If this was the first step to what had taken her parents, did she really want to follow the path?

Petunia watched her niece struggle for a moment before putting a gentle hand over the girl's and feeling the slight trembling of them. Giving her a reassuring squeeze, she smiled warmly at her. "If you like, I can ask them to try and schedule us with others that don't know a lot about the magical world. Would that help?"

Harriet paused to think about it for a moment, before nodding her head. "Yeah… I think it would," she agreed as the desire to disappear faded and was replaced by the acceptance of her aunt's care for her.

They stayed that way a moment before Petunia released her niece and walked over to the cupboard, pulling out a notebook and pen. "Why don't you write back to this Deputy Headmistress McGonagall? I'll help you with words if you'd like, and then after Dudley comes back, I'll show you how to get an owl. That way you can keep in contact at your school. I fully expect to be kept updated with your grades and behavior young lady."

Harriet gave her a confident little smile as she picked up her favorite blue pen, and began penning a letter to the lady that had signed her invitation. With her aunt's help, she felt confident that she had managed to get an accurate explanation of what she wanted to do.

 _"Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,_

 _Thank you for accepting me at Hogwarts, but I feel that there might have been some confusion. My aunt Petunia is aware of what we need to do for me to attend Hogwarts, but she says that we cannot go to the shopping district without some help. If there is any way to set up a meeting with a representative for the school this weekend, we would be very thankful. We would not mind sharing a trip with students that were also raised as 'muggles'. My aunt said that was the term for non-magical people. That just sounds silly to me._

 _Sorry, my aunt told me that last part might be rude. I will try to not be rude. I hope that this letter finds you well. Thank you again for accepting me at your school._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Harriet Jasmine Potter."_

"Did that sound alright Aunt Petunia?" Harriet asked while worrying on the end of the pen with her teeth, something that she did when she was nervous. Her aunt looked over in time to see her starting to fade from sight again as she worked herself into a tizzy. "I rambled again didn't I?"

"You did great dear, now Dudley should be back in about a half-hour, what do you say we have fish and chips for dinner?" Petunia asked, getting a happy little squeak from her niece. "Go wash up, I'm going to get dinner on, and get the letter ready to send."

Harriet nodded as she hopped off the chair and left the room, leaving the letter on the table for her aunt to take care of while she washed up. Petunia stood up and gathered the things to make dinner, laying the fish portions and sliced potatoes out on baking sheets while the oven heated. As she had a moment, she turned to look at the letter her niece had written before steeling herself to add her own letter. She hadn't willingly interacted with those people since her divorce from Vernon when they checked on some sort of ward that was to protect Harriet and the rest of her family from attacks. It sounded like a load of bullocks, but it kept Harriet near her, so she didn't fight it too hard.

" _To Dumbledore,_

 _I once asked you if I could come with my sister, and you refused me then. That drove a wedge between Lily and myself, one that we could not reconcile before her death. If anything should happen to my niece, there is not enough magic in the world that will stop me from exacting my displeasure on you._

 _Remember this Dumbledore._

 _Signed,_

 _Petunia Evans._ "

Folding her letter up, she penned the full name and title on the outside before tucking it inside of Harriet's letter, and sealing the both of them into an envelope which she addressed as best she could from the acceptance letter. Tucking it to the side, she returned to her cooking.

Upon hearing her son's return, she sent him to clean up as well, letting him know that supper would be ready in about fifteen minutes, and that after supper she had something she wanted to show him and Harriet.

Albus Dumbledore might have known magic, might have more titles than sense, but there was one thing that he didn't know. He didn't know how angry she had been with him for these past eleven years. He had two strikes on the books already, one more and she would knock his block clean off his head with her bare fists if she had to.

Oddly enough, no one noticed the slight crackle of ozone in the air as she stewed.


	4. Chapter 4

Harriet stood by her aunt, tugging at the sleeves of her purple jumper. They were waiting for the Grangers near the London station so they could go to the shopping district where Harriet was supposed to buy her supplies for the new school year. The girl was excited, and more than happy to wear her favorite jumper, even if her aunt kept trying to implore her to let it be retired. The faded, well-loved shirt had been a hand-me-down from her mother, and among the last that her aunt could give to her.

It was also a comfort to have something of her mother as she was about to step into something so dangerous and mysterious that it had claimed her before the young girl could even really get to know her. The tightness in the shoulders felt like a comforting hug from her parents as she stood on her tip-toes to try and see the Grangers before her aunt. The soft hand supporting her shoulder as she teetered slightly from the raised point was joined shortly by a soft laugh. "Excited to make a new friend Jasmine?" Petunia asked as she help the girl back down and started running her fingers through the mess of curly, wavy, tangle of red hair.

"I... I don't know if we'll be friends, but I hope we can be," Harriet answered quietly as she looked down at her shoes, wondering if she shouldn't have polished them a little more for today. She really did want to make a good first impression after all. "Since we're both coming from families that don't know much about the other side, maybe that will be a bit of common ground we can build from?"

Saying it felt like it gave the hope a bit more weight to it. Like if she repeated it, it would become all the more real. The professor that had gotten back to her, Professor McGonnagal, had explained that her not having someone talk to her directly was an oversight, and that they would be more than happy to have her meet up with another student that was going shopping a little early for the school term.

Apparently this Hermione Granger was excited about learning magic, and wanted to learn all she could, even before school started. The smile that spread on her lips at that was a rare sight that her aunt didn't want to ruin by saying anything. If they got along, maybe they could share the joy and excitement of exploring the new world together. They could have late night study parties where they told each other what new things had surprised them that week, how fun spell practice was, and all those things that the girls did in those books she checked out from the library.

Her thoughts started to turn to doubts as her aunt's finger caught a snarl in her hair, giving her head a bit of a jerk. What if she was like the other girls? The ones that made fun of her hair, or her love of running around, or how much she loved to read, or the worn clothes she wore instead of the latest fashions. She really wanted to make a new friend, but had she done enough to make a good impression?

That particular train of thought was swiftly and mercilessly derailed as an excited voice cried out from her left. "Hurry up mum! Dad! We're probably completely late by now and she'll think we're rude!" a young girl with bushy brown hair exclaimed while all but dragging along two adults by their hands. The protests that they were still ten minutes early was met with a scoff of dismissal from the girl, and a soft laugh from her aunt.

"I believe we may have found the Grangers," Aunt Petunia offered as Harriet focused on the girl that seemed so excited to meet her. The brown hair bounced in the sunlight, causing a cascade of chocolate brown to shimmer into copper and back, while the searching brown eyes kept scanning the crowd for a girl she probably didn't have an idea what she looked like.

The woman knelt next to the brunette, fussing with her hair in an attempt to reduce some of the fly-away look the girl sported, It seemed from the bun she'd pulled her hair up in, with several strands sticking out at random, she suffered from the same curse as the girl and Harriet. This brought a smile to the redhead's lips as she listened to her chiding the girl softly, "Honestly Hermione, you don't even know what she looks like. We just know that she has red hair and blue eyes, and that she'll be with her aunt. They might not have even arrived yet, we are ten minutes early after all."

Hermione huffed a little as she let her mother fuss over her, her eyes looking around the area with a worried expression. "I know, it's just... I wanted to spend some extra time looking through the books, and if we're late, she might get upset with having to wait..."

"I know dear, but you can't force these things, and she might just go to a different store while you're browsing books if she's bored," the mother offered, when Harriet felt eyes upon her. Turning slightly, she spotted the man with lighter brown hair smiling warmly at her. Seeing him mouth her name, she nodded before he leaned down to join in with his female companions.

"Hermione, look over by the wall," he suggested, waving a hand in Harriet's general area. An instant later, Hermione was locking eyes with her, and rushing towards her excitedly a faint blush of embarrassment on her cheeks.

As the girl arrived, breathing heavily, she gave a nervous smile with slightly large teeth. "Hello, are you Harriet Potter?" she asked once she regained her breath, getting a nod from the slighter girl, she beamed happily. "Oh wonderful! I'm Hermione Granger, Professor McGonagall told me that you were new to the school and that we would be joining her in our shopping for the first year. I think we'll have loads to learn and talk about. Did she tell you about the train we're to take in? Or show you anything?"

When Hermione finally paused for breath, Harriet answered swiftly though quietly. "We haven't actually met the Professor yet. My parents were graduates of the school, but they died when I was a baby, and my aunt raised me."

"Oh," the girl offered awkwardly, looking at her parents nervously.

"Introduce yourself," Petunia whispered into Harriet's ear softly, patting her fondly on the shoulder while the Grangers gave Hermione encouraging smiles.

Harriet cleared her throat to bring attention back on herself, and gave the bravest smile she could muster while fighting off the urge to disappear from under their combined gazes, the comforting warmth of her aunt's hand on her shoulder gave her the courage to press on. "I'm Harriet Potter, my aunt Petunia and the kids at school call me Jasmine. I hope we get to see loads of cool things to learn, and we'll probably get to see a lot today too."

That seemed to do the trick, as Hermione brightened up and gave her another brilliant smile. The group began walking towards the street address that Professor McGonagall had told them to meet her at. It wasn't that far away, just a few streets away from the station they were meeting up in. The girls didn't really talk much, finding a contented sort of peace in their silence while their parental figures talked behind them. Harriet took the opportunity to listen in to them, to see if she could learn more about her new friend.

Apparently the Grangers were both dentists that met at the wife's practice when he was visiting the area to cover for her vacation. They had hit it off while she was showing him around the office and introducing him to some of the staff and patients. A couple months of long distance relationships later, they formed a partnership with their practices. A short while later they were married and Hermione came along nearly a year later to bless their lives.

It was about the time they started swapping embarrassing stories of the children in their care that Harriet noticed something strange about where they were walking to. One building seemed to be ignored by the majority of the people walking by, and those that did go into it looked very odd.

All of them save one, a stern woman wearing a black dress with a red sweater and scarf over the top, standing in front of the building and watching their approach. Before either of the girls could say anything, the woman strode from the front of the build straight towards them. It seemed that the Grangers at least recognized her as they didn't seem too fussed about her approach, though Harriet could feel herself struggling to stay visible. The soft encouraging voice of Sir Hiss in her pocket assured her that it was safe, even as her aunt moved to protect her.

"Good to see you again Professor," Mr. Dr. Granger offered as he gave her a slight bow, causing the corner of the woman's mouth to twitch upwards for the briefest of moments before her face softened as she watched the two girls share a look.

"And you Doctors Granger," the woman answered before turning to Petunia and Harriet, given them a once over before she took a sharp breath in. "As I live and breathe, if it wasn't for the eyes, I would imagine I was having deja vu. You look just like your mother Miss Potter, and you Mrs. Dur-"

"Evans, please," Aunt Petunia cut in firmly while giving her a kindly smile. "It's Miss Evans now. After... events that transpired I left Vernon and took the children with me. Dudley is with a friend of his today."

This seemed to surprise the professor as she raised an eyebrow and glanced towards Harriet briefly before searching for something in her aunt's eyes. After a moment she cleared her throat and bowed her head. "My apologies and condolences, I do remember your letters from when you were younger, and personally wish we might have complied with your wishes at the time. As well other missives you have sent since."

"I'm quite sure you may have heard of me from... others. And I hope that Harriet will be safe and well educated while at your school, my sister spoke highly of you Professor, and I believe her daughter will as well."

"I do hope that is the case, please follow me. Now girls, I would like you both to pay particular attention to what is going to happen, as you will need to perform this in the years to come for your relatives," she answered before leading them into the building everyone was ignoring. The Leaky Cauldron as it was titled turned out to be a pub and inn, where everyone seemed to have a friendly wave and nod for the professor, though none seemed to dare attempting to divert her from her duties.

One of the patrons did seem to overly focus on Harriet for a moment, before a sharp glare from McGonagall turned their attention elsewhere. They were through the main pub in a minute and stood in a closed off back alley where a worn brick wall waited for them. At this, she turned to address the group once more. "Now, this is the entrance to Diagon Alley, a location where we of the magical community perform transactions and other matters of business. Girls, as your guardians are non-magical or muggle in the current vernacular, you will have to open the path for them in the future. Do we have questions?"

"Yes Professor, what was that man going to do with Harriet?" Hermione asked pointed with innocent confusion.

This turned the Professor accommodating demeanor into a frown as she glanced back towards the pub, before letting out a heavy sigh and seeming to age several years. "As Miss Evans and possibly Miss Potter are aware, several years ago there was a wizard whom had taken upon himself to attack the magical community. We do not speak his name for various reasons, so I shall only say it this once and ask you not to repeat it. Most will use the phrase 'You-Know-Who' in lieu of the name he chose for himself. It was Lord Voldemort."

As she paused for an expected reaction that never came, Harriet felt a low growl in the back of her head which she could almost swear was Sir Hiss. As the unaware continued to not react, the deputy headmistress pressed on. "Now, the reason that I mention him is that Miss Potter is the only survivor of a night he vanished. He had attacked her parents, and after a valiant effort which ultimately resulted in their untimely ends, he turned his attention to Harriet. We do not know how or what occurred, but Harriet Potter is the only known survivor of a curse that is known as Avada Kadava, or the Killing Curse. The only mark was a curious alteration to a birthmark of hers."

Harriet's hand went for her collar bone where her birthmark lay, she didn't know what it might mean, but it didn't sound good. "Your birthmark gained a split in the form of a lightning bolt that split what otherwise looked much like a lovely heart," she stated directly to the young girl, putting her hand lightly on her shoulder. "I fear that has made you a bit of a celebrity in our world, but remember that your body is your own, and no one should ever make demands of it."

"I... I will professor," Harriet answered, her eyes lowered as she felt the urge to fade from sight growing again.

How was she possibly a celebrity for that? It sounded like all she did was lay in her cradle and cry as the man that killed her parents, did just that and attempted to do it to her as well. Just as she began to blur at the edges, she heard Hermione's voice speak up defiantly, cutting through her thoughts like a razor blade. "I will help her professor! If she'll let me!"

"Wonderful," the woman all but exclaimed as she patted them both on the head. "I expect great things from the both of you, and hope that you will be sorted into my house when you get to the school."


End file.
